Does anyone know what ship it was, and when, that was carrying the beads that even today may still come to light around this pond and how they come to be around the pond?
Real name of Beady Pool is Wingletang Bay; the ship is not identified, being amongst many that lost their way on those vicious ledges, still a hazard. It is written that it was a Venetian ship, a large vessel, with a large cargo including glass beads was heading for the African continent (probably Sierra Leone) was lost with all hands on this shore. A boy crewman was wedged against the rock with some beads. They have recovered over the years a number of glass beads from the sand and have made a necklace (in the St Mary's Museum).
There are several references referring to the wreck which led to the vast number of glass beads being found at Wingletang Bay. Some state it was a Venetian vessel others that it was a 17th century Dutch cargo boat and that the vessel in question was bound for Africa where the beads were to be used as barter for slaves. The inclination that the vessel was out of Holland maybe because the origin of terracotta glass lined beads are usually Dutch
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